You can try changing (temporarily) the cat's diet to one or more of the following (depending on the cat's preferences):

• boiled rice
• cottage cheese
• bread
• plain yogurt
• boiled chicken
• chicken broth
• baby food (strained meat varieties)

The emphasis on the above being as bland as possible. No spices allowed as they tend to aggravate the stomach. This procedure may be advisable to reduce the possibility of dehydration from the diarrhea.

The vet may or may not prescribe medication. One-half teaspoon of kaopectate (NOT peptobismol, it contains asprin) usually works pretty well too. The vet may recommend withholding food for 24-48 hours to give the GI tract a rest before starting with some bland food.

Usually diarrhea lasts only a few days. If it lasts longer than that, as long as the cat does not have a fever, it usually does not mean anything serious, but you must protect the cat from dehydration by making it take in plenty of liquids.

Possible causes for diarrhea

From: Colin F. Burrows. 1991. Diarrhea in kittens and young catsi. pp. 415-418 IN J.R. August. Consultations in Feline Internal Medicine. WB Saunders Co., Philadelphia.

Causes of acute (sudden onset) diarrhea

• Infections
  • Viral
    • Panleucopenia (distemper)
    • Feline Leukemia Virus
    • Coronavirus
    • Rotavirus
    • Astrovirus
  • Bacterial
    • Salmonella
    • Campylobacter
    • Escherischia coli (not documented in cats)
  • Parasitic
    • Roundworms
    • Hookworms
    • Coccidia
    • Giardia
    • Toxoplasma
• Diet esp. dietary change or raid on the garbage
• Toxic or drug-induced
  • Acetominophen (tylenol)
  • antibiotics
• Miscellaneous
  • partial intestinal obstruction

Most common causes are viral infections and dietary changes.

Causes of chronic diarrhea

• Viral and Bacterial
  • FIV
  • FeLeuk
  • Salmonella
  • Campylobacter
  • Clostridium
• Parasites
  • as above, except Toxoplasma
• Dietary sensitivity
• Miscellaneous
  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease
  • Drug Sensitivity
  • Inappropriate use of antibiotics
  • Bacterial overgrowth??
  • Partial intestinal obstruction
  • Idiopathic (no known cause)

You should enlist the help of your vet if symptoms persist for more than a few days, or if your kitten is weak or listless, or refuses to take fluids. Dehydration can rapidly kill a kitten.